The Difference of Will
by michael.e.mcfee
Summary: Takes place soon after the Wilson proposal. Sonny contemplates differences that he has seen in Will recently. This is a rather short one-off.


Sonny woke up suddenly. He opened his eyes to see a hand on his face. It took him a second, but he realized that it wasn't his. This hand belonged to Will. He must have moved in his sleep. Sonny smiled and shifted his weight a little, brought up his own hand, grabbed Will's hand and gently placed it to the side. He then shifted a bit more. Since he was awake, he wanted to look at his Will, just a little. He enjoyed looking at Will sleeping. Will looked so angelic and calm. They had had a great night; even though Will had not accepted his proposal of marriage; although, he kind of did.

Sonny had expressed his love for Sonny by proposing to Will, on one knee. The look on his face had been amazing; surprise, astonishment, even wonder. After the "Wow!" (Which had been an amazing reaction), Will expressed his love for Sonny, by refusing the proposal; for now. Will had been right. Now wasn't the right time. Things were far too complicated at the moment. But Sonny also knew that their time would come.

Sonny had noticed that Will seemed much calmer. Almost as if he was a different person. Even a few months ago the excuse that Will would have given Sonny would have been "I'm not good enough for you". Will seemed more mature, different. He had loved the old Will, but this new Will was kind of sexy too. He had proven it not too long ago, in this very bed.

Sonny shifted once more in order to study Will's features more in-depth, while Will slept. Will's features had become a little broader, yet also thinner. He'd lost more of his baby face. His eyes were still ocean-blue, but some of the innocence that had been omnipresent was a little diminished and that, thought Sonny, wasn't at all a bad thing. Will's hair was darker, as was the complexion of his skin; most likely as a result of his recent stint in California.

It wasn't simply Will's features and physique that had changed, but some of his mannerisms had as well. Will used to do that sexy but very quirky-nerdy eyebrow thing. Sonny had enjoyed that immensely when they first started dating. Will didn't do that anymore. He had become more subtle. He had developed this sexy hard-stare and he would shift his weight back and forth. That was extremely sexy. He used to smile more. Sonny missed that smile, that nervous, innocent smile that he used to wear like a badge of honour. Will didn't smile like that anymore. It was more inward and reserved. Sonny couldn't blame Will for that. Life had changed him. He'd been shot at; he was now the father of a baby. He wasn't a little boy anymore, and he didn't act like it; well he still did let his quirky side shine through at times.

Sonny smiled to himself as he resisted the urge to trace Will's facial features with his fingers. Sonny loved to touch Will. It was sometimes difficult. Both Will and Sonny had made a conscious decision, together, to act as sincere and open and authentic towards each other as they could; even in public. But Sonny noticed that Will had toned down some of his little gestures in public; and Sonny kind of missed having his hair twirled; although to be really truthful, it was getting a little annoying; but not really. Sonny smiled at the memory of Will fiddling with his hair and stopping abruptly when his great-grandmother Caroline feigned her displeasure. That was a great day.

But then Sonny remembered how Will had started to simply hug him possessively…reassuringly…in public. It was a great feeling to be able to show affection for someone you love in public, at least with a certain degree of decorum. Not every gay person had that privilege. In some places, even in the US of A, even today, some gay people can't even hold hands in public, for fear of being harassed, ridiculed or beaten. Sonny felt lucky that he could hold Will's hand, even kiss him in public and hardly anyone would have raised an eyebrow. They were both lucky to be living in Salem. This will be a good place to raise their daughter.

Sonny thought about Arianna Grace sleeping with her mother in the next room. She was another reason Will had changed. Will felt a connection to her from the very start. As did Sonny. Sonny thought that Will's sudden reservedness, although it was subtle, was Will's way of trying not to act like a child anymore. Having a child can do that. Sonny knew how Will felt, because even though Arianna Grace wasn't biologically his, he saw Will in her every time he looked at her. She was a part of Will, and so she would also be a part of him; because Will was a part of him.

Sonny felt Will stir. He looked down to notice that he had absent-mindedly started stroking Will's hair. He heard Will mumble a "I love you so much" . Sonny did not doubt that Will did love him. He wondered if Will had noticed any changes in him? If these changes were for the better or not. He knew that the changes he had noticed in Will were not the first nor would they be the last. Sonny loved Will so much, Will was growing as a person, and that was a very good thing. Sonny liked what he saw and he knew that he would continue to like what he saw. Will was Will. The core that was Will. The person that Sonny had fallen for was still there and would remain.

Sonny continued to stroke Will's hair, and as his thoughts thinned into dreams, he muttered "I love you too Will, so very very much."


End file.
